Australian Open 2009 (Tennis)

The crowds trying to get a glimpse of Rafael Nadal on the practice courts

Serena Williams practicing under the watchful eye of her mom

Grandma was very excited to see a player she recognized (Serena)

Rafael Nadal warming up

More grandma

Grandma's Visit: Week 1

hats & balloons

That sport called Cricket!

Anyone ever played cricket? It has a cult-like following here. Anyone care to enlighten me on the impossible lingo of the sport? The following article is from the sports section of a national newspaper.  Try to read it. It almost has a language all its own.    

From the "Herald Sun Newspaper"...

Ricky Ponting was out from the last ball before tea for 101 to the bowling of left-arm spinner Paul Harris.

Australia was 5-252 halfway through the final session, with Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin trying to form a big partnership after Andrew Symonds was the fifth wicket to fall, out for 27.

Opener Matthew Hayden failed again with eight but Ponting and Simon Katich (54) added 107 for the second wicket.

Dale Steyn (2-41) struck in his 11th and 14th overs to remove Katich and Mike Hussey for a duck before Ponting and Clarke added 41 for the fourth wicket.

Ponting, who was dropped at third slip on 24 before lunch, reached his century off 119 balls with 11 fours and one six.

The skipper's tally of 37 hundreds in 127 matches is second only to Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar's 41 in 156 games. Ponting, who raised his bat to all sections of the crowd upon reaching his century, also passed the 1000-run mark for 2008 on Friday.

The struggling Hayden was earlier caught at gully for eight off the bowling of Makhaya Ntini at 1-21.